Nearly five years after the tragic death of Sushant Singh Rajput, the CBI has officially closed its investigation, declaring it a case of suicide with no foul play involved. Yet, the actor’s demise continues to fuel conversations on mental health, celebrity culture, and public accountability in India.
It has been almost half a decade since Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020. His untimely demise at the age of 34 not only stunned the nation but also ignited an unprecedented storm of public outrage, media frenzy, on the dark sides of Bollywood.
Debates about NEPOTISM were on the run as the several angles came up where claims were made that the struggling actors are considered as last options, whereas the nepo kids are set on priority. Several Videos of actors taking drugs went viral.
However, while the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formally closed the case earlier this year, concluding that no foul play was involved, public discourse surrounding the actor’s death remains intense.
Sushant was discovered hanging in his Bandra apartment, and the initial post-mortem report from Cooper Hospital listed the cause of death as “asphyxia due to hanging,” with no external injuries or signs of struggle. However, the simplicity of the findings did little to calm the swirling speculations. His sudden death came at a time when his career was on a promising trajectory, fueling suspicions of deeper issues within the film industry.
The investigation took a complicated turn when Rajput’s father, K K Singh, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with Bihar Police, accusing Sushant’s then-girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty, and her family of abetment to suicide, financial fraud amounting to Rs 15 crore, and mental harassment. The case rapidly escalated into a jurisdictional tug-of-war between Mumbai Police and Bihar Police before being handed over to the CBI in August 2020.
After assuming control, the CBI assembled a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to thoroughly probe every angle—professional rivalry, financial discrepancies, and possible criminal conspiracy. The agency consulted several experts, including forensic specialists from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi. In September 2020, the AIIMS panel confirmed that Sushant’s death was a suicide, ruling out any external injuries or struggle marks.
To leave no stone unturned, the CBI also retrieved extensive digital data, collaborating with global tech companies like Google and Facebook. They meticulously analyzed deleted chats, emails, and social media activity to reconstruct the actor’s state of mind leading up to his death. Despite the extensive investigation, no evidence of foul play emerged.
Amid the growing media spectacle, Rhea Chakraborty also faced significant legal challenges. Besides being named in the FIR, she was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in September 2020 on drug-related charges linked to the case. After spending 28 days in Mumbai’s Byculla jail, she was granted bail by the Bombay High Court.
Rhea also filed a counter-complaint against Sushant’s sister Priyanka Singh and a Delhi-based doctor, accusing them of fabricating medical prescriptions for psychiatric drugs without proper consultation. However, the CBI, after examining both sides, found no evidence to substantiate any criminal wrongdoing.
In March 2025, after five years of exhaustive investigation covering multiple cities, including Mumbai, Patna, Hyderabad, and Delhi, the CBI officially filed a closure report, labeling it a “simple case of suicide” and giving a clean chit to Rhea Chakraborty and her family.
Since the legal closure, Rhea Chakraborty has cautiously resumed public life. She recently ventured into entrepreneurship with her streetwear label, Chapter 2 Drip, supported by industry veterans Kishore and Ashni Biyani. She also hosts a podcast titled Chapter 2, where she shares her experiences on coping with loss, rebuilding her life, and mental health advocacy.
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